Self-operated hatch-cover.



G.. & S. WALKER.

- SELF OPBRATBD HATCH covER.

APPLICATION FILED 10150.24, 1909.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

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ama/lfd G. 61S. WALKER. SELF QPBRATBD HATCH COVER. APPLICATION FILED152.024, 1909.

987, 1 97. y Patented 11111.21', 1911.

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' showing the flaps for closing the space be- GEORGE WALKER AND SIDNEYWALKER, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

SELF-OPERATED Specification of Letters Patent.

HATCH-COVER.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

Application filed December 24, 1999. Serial No. 534,886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE WALKER and SiDNnY VALKER, citizens of theUnited States, residing at San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara andState of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement inSelf-Operated Hatch-Covers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inselfoperated covers or doors for elevator shafts or hatches, the objectbeing' to provide a cover which is so constructed that in case of firethe same will completely close the shaft or hatch.

Another object of our invention is to provide a cover which is providedwith spring actuated sections which are adapted to be operatedautomatically so as to close the spacebetween the walls of the shaft andthe guides and the space around the cable openm0'.

l further object of our invention is to provide the shaft with a coverfor closing the weight pocket which is automatically operated by Ythedoor when the same is moved into a closed position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a door which is somounted in an inclined track that when the same is released it willslide down and completely close the hatch or shaft, said door being heldin an open position by cables which are provided with fusible links sothat in case of a lire said links will melt, and the cover will be lWiththese various objects in view, our invention consists in the novelfeatures of construction, arrangement and combination of parts, all ofwhich will be hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification: Figure l is aninverted plan view of our improved cover showing the same in an openposition arranged in a building adjacent the elevator shaft. Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the same showing the cover in a closed position. Fig. 3is a vertical section through the cover in an opened position. Figs. 4and 5 are detail sections of the cover and track showingthe manner ofmounting the same. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the weight pocket cover.Fig. 7 is a detail section through a portion of the cover links tweenthe guides and walls of the shaft. Fig. S is a section taken on-the line8 8 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawing A indicates an' elevator shaft or hatch whichis provided with the usual oppositely disposed vertical guides B and aguide C which in connection with the adjacent guides B forms a weightpocket in which the counterbalance weights of the elevator are adaptedto travel, the above description being given so that the application ofour improved cover can be readily understood.

Extending transversely through the hatch and out to one side is aninclined trackway D, the track portions of which are formed of channelbars as clearly shown in which is slidably mounted a cover E providedwith casters E, E2 adapted to engage the respective walls of the channelshaped tracks so as to allow the cover to move freely therein and itwill be seen by this arrangement that the cover will slide down acrossthe elevator shaft or hatch by its own weight when released and forsupporting the end of the cover in a closed position, we provide anangled iron A which extends across the shaft in such a position withrespect to the trackway that when the cover is in a closed position theedge of the same will rest upon the angled iron A and form a tightjoint.

F or supporting the cover in an open position so as to allow theelevator car to move freely up and down the shaft, we provide the coverwith an eye E3 to which is connected the hook of a fusible link F whichis connected to a block G through which passes a cable H which passesover pulleys G suitably arranged in the framework of the building asclearly shown, the ends of said cable extending parallel alongside ofthe tracks of the trackway and have fusible H connected thereto, saidfusible links being connected to cable sections H2 which are connectedto fusible links H3 having hook members adapted to be connected in eyessecured in the wall of the shaft of the elevator, it of course beingunderstood that fusible links can be arranged in the cable at anydesirable point, the above positions being given as the most desirablein case of fire where the greatest amount of heat would most likely be.By this arrangement when'the fusible links give away the cable isreleased so as to release the cover,

and by 4its own weight the cover will slide across'the hatch or'shaft asclearly shown in Fig. 2. l

The cover E is provided with a central slot E4 to receive the supportingcable of the elevator car when the same is moved across the path of theelevator shaft and for closing this slot after the cover or door hasbeen moved into a closed position, we provide a spring actuated cover Iwhich is provided with an eye I which is adapted to receive the hook Jof a sliding rod J which is mounted in suitable guideways J 2 on thedoor E soV as to hold the cover I in an opened position, said coverbeing preferably mounted upon the cover E by spring actuated hinges, andthe end .of the rod J extends out beyond the end of the door so thatwhen the door is ino-ved into engagement Awith the wall of the shaft theprojecting end of the rod'Jr will` be engaged so as to slide the rod inits guideways out of the eye ,of the cover I which will release the sameand allow the same to closeas clearly shown .in

In order to provide means for closing the space'jbetween the wall of theshaft and the guides B the edges of the door E are cut away as shown atwhich are closed by similarly shaped covers K which are also mounted.upon the door E by spring actuated hinges and are provided with eyes Kwhich are engaged by the hook portions of rods Il similar to the rod Jwhich are also mounted in guideways and project out beyond the end ofthe door so that when brought into engagement with the wall' of theshaft these covers will also be released so that they will close thespace tightly between the guides and wall of the shaftas clearlyr shownin Fig. 2 and by this manner of constructing a door, the spaces whichare now left open by doors now employed for closing shafts will beclosed tightly so that practically an air-tight shaft will be formed.

In order to close the weight pocket .of the elevator shaft, we provide ahinged cover M which is provided with a project-ing pin M which isengaged by a pivoted catch N which extends into the adjacent track ofthe trackway and is adapted to be engaged by the door on its downwardmovement so as tok throw the cat-ch out of engagement with the pin M andrelease the same and for closing the flap, we provide the same with aprojection M2 having an outwardly projecting portion M3 having a camedge which is adapted to be engagedl by apivoted dog O which alsoextends into the adjacent track and is engaged by the door so as tocause the same to ride over the cam edge of the projecting member M3 andswingl the cover into 'a closed position as clearly shown. This cover isalso provided with a notch to receive the cables for supporting theweights so that the same will lit snugly around the cables and close theweight pocket as tightly as possible.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that we have pro-vided acover for closing an elevator hatch or shaft which is so constructedthat the same will move into a closed position by its own weight, saidcover being provided with hinged spring actuated covers for closing thespace between the guides and wall of the shaft and for closing the slot.of the cover to receive the supporting cables in such a manner thatwhen the door is moved into a closed position the shaft will bepractically air tight, thereby providing a door which will have manyadvantages over doors of this char-- acter now in use.

IVhile we have shown and described the particular manner of mounting thedoor and the covers, it is ofcourse understood that various other meansfor accomplishing this result could be used without departing from thespirit of .our invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. The combination with an elevator shaft, of a trackway arrangedtransversely in said shaft, a door mounted in said trackway, springactuated covers carried by said door and means for holding and releasingsaid covers.

Q. In a self-operating door for elevator shafts, the combination with ashaft having the usual guides and weight pocket, of an inclined trackextending transversely through said shaft, a. door slidably mounted insaid trackway, covers carried by said door for closing the space betweensaid guides and wall of the shaft, and means for holding said coversopen when the door is in an open position and for closing said coverswhen in a closed position.

3. The combination with an elevator shaft provided with a weight pocket,of an inclined trackway extending transversely through said shaft, acover arranged adjacent said weight pocket for closing the same, meansfor holding said cover in an open Josition, means for closing said coverand a doorslidably mounted within said trackway adapted to first engagesaid means for holding the cover open and then said means for closingsaid cover when said door moves into a closed position. e

4. The combination with an elevator shaft, of an inclined trackextending transversely through said shaft, a door slidably mounted insaid trackway provided with a slot to receive the cables of the elevatorcar, said door being provided with notches. to receiveI said guides,spring actuated covers for closing said notches and slot and slidablymounted rods for holding said covers in an open position, said rodsbeing operated when said door is moved into a closed position so as torelease said covers.

5. The combination With an elevator shaft provided With the usual guidesand Weight pocket, of an inclined track extending transversely throughsaid shaft, a door provided with casters slidably mounted Within saidtrack, a cable connected to said door by a fusible link for holding saiddoor in an open position, said door being provided With notched edgesand a central slot to receive the guides and the supporting cable, andspring actuated covers for closing said slot and notch, said coversbeing released automatically When said door is moved into a l closedposition.

6. The combination with an elevator shaft provided With the usual guidesand Weight pocket, of an inclined track extending transversely throughsaid shaft, a door slidably mounted within said track, a cable connectedto said door by a fusible link for holding the saine open, a coverarranged adjacent the Weight pocket for closing the same, said doorbeing provided With a central slot and notched edges, spring actuatedcovers for closing said slot and notched edges, and means for operatingsaid spring actuated covers together with means for closing the Weightpocket cover when said door is moved into a closed position.

7. The combination with an elevator shaft, of an inclined trackWayarranged transversely in said shaft and extending out to one side, adoor slidably mounted in said trackivay, a cable connected to said doorby a fusible link for normally holding the same out of the shaft, saiddoor being provided With notches and a central slot to receive theguides and supporting cable of the elevator shaft, spring actuatedcovers for closing said slot and notches, slidably mounted rods forholding said covers in an open position having outwardly projecting endsadapted to be operated When said door is moved into. a closed positionso as to release said covers.

8. The combination With an elevator shaft provided with a Weight pocket,of a hinged cover for closing said pocket provided with a pin and aprojection having a cam edge, a pivoted catch for engaging said pin, apivoted dog for engaging the cam edge of said projection, and a dooradapted to operate the said pivoted catch and dog when moved across saidelevator shaft.

9. The combination with an elevator shaft provided with a Weight pocketand oppositelv disposed guides, of a trackway extending transverselythrough said shaft, an angled iron arranged against the Wall of saidshaft; between said track, a door siidably mounted in said trackprovided With a cental slot and notched edges, a cable connected to saiddoor by a fusible link for holding the said door in an open position,spring actuated covers mounted upon said door for closing said slot andnotched, slidably mounted rods for holding said covers in an openposition, a cover for closing said weight pocket, means operated by saiddoor for closing said cover, said rods being adapted to engage saidangled iron when said door moves into a closed position so as to releasesaid spring actuated covers.

GEORGE WALKER. SDNEY VALKER.

Witnesses A. K. DAGGETT,

C. W. RIFFEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing'the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

